One of the defining characteristics of Indigenous policy during the Howard era was the emerging influence of conservative think tanks, and in particular, the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership (CYIPL). While this development mirrors other policy settings, there are some unique features of the ideologies espoused by CIS and CYIPL. Both appear to have a religious quest to transform Indigenous societies. I use the term 'religious' because so much of what they advocate rests on faith as opposed to evidence, both use apocalyptic language to describe Indigenous communities and promise salvation for those who embrace their faith. It is within this quest that the beliefs that shaped Native American law and policy in the nineteenth century find resonance and in particular, the maxim that individual property rights are critical for the salvation of Indigenous people. Reforms to encourage the growth of individual property rights did not occur in isolation, but were implemented contemporaneously with measures to transform the social fabric.